


I Should be Moving On

by punkinoodle



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, I just want to have sex with Zuko ok don't we all, I marked it underage, Romance, Self-Insert, Shared Trauma, Smut, Sweet, There's an actual story I promise, because it happens during the events of ATLA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:34:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25193245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkinoodle/pseuds/punkinoodle
Summary: In which Zuko meets a charming young woman and romance ensues... much to Zuko's chagrin.
Relationships: Zuko/Oc
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	1. Celebrity Sighting

Chiran was an errand boy. Plain and simple. He was plenty of other things too - a gossip, a jokester, a raving fan of professional Kuai Ball - but he was an errand boy, and that was what mattered. Specifically, he worked full-time doing odd jobs at the Su Oku Village Resort. He had good friends, good food, good pay, and a roof over his head - what else could a guy want? Some might not have considered it a very glamorous job, but it was good enough for him, and he was grateful to have it. 

At the moment, his errand was to deliver a package to the reception kiosk on the west branch of the Su Oku river, which, in his opinion, beat washing dishes any day. It was a warm mid-afternoon in early spring, which made his walk all the more pleasant. Eventually, he approached the kiosk. It was a small hut that stood in the middle of a wide dirt road. A single guard lay stretched out on a rock, his hat tipped over his face to protect it from the sun. 

“Slow day, huh?” he asked.

He walked around to the front of the hut. 

“Oh, hey Chiran!” 

The voice was familiar. He was surprised to find his friend Lin sitting on the other side of a broad, wooden desk. Now Lin - Lin was something else. She was a waitress at the dining hall, which was where he usually worked, but she was not the kind of person you’d expect to find serving you dinner at a remote restaurant in an out-of-the-way village. She stood out from the crowd, partly because of her height - she was taller than some of their male coworkers - but also because she bleached her hair with lemon juice and weird-smelling herbs until it was almost blonde. He found her a bit strange, to say the least, but there was no denying that she had a way with people. He understood perfectly why she would have been chosen to fill in at the reception desk for a day. 

“Hey Lin. Taking a break from waiting tables?”

She laughed.

“Yeah, it’s not a bad gig. Tiddock’s been keeping me company.”

She waved towards the man napping on a rock. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept his hat off of his face. He yelped and leapt up to grab it. Chiran and Lin both laughed as Tiddock sheepishly slapped it back onto his head. They quieted down when they noticed the distant silhouettes of two men approaching on foot. The three of them huddled around the reception desk.

“You think they’re beggars?” Chiran asked.

“Pretty gutsy if they are. Highways aren’t too safe these days, and there’s not much around here for miles.” Tiddock replied.

“They don’t look like beggars to me,” Lin interjected. 

Chiran narrowed his eyes at her, as if to say “How can you tell?”.

“Look at the way they carry themselves,” she explained. “They both walk so confidently. The tall one is proud, and the shorter one has a bounce in his step. They don’t look like people who’ve been  
beaten down by life. Not successfully, at least.”

Lin was something else indeed. The adjective “crazy” might also be apt.

Chiran suddenly remembered his package.

“Here, this is for you.”

He handed the parcel to Lin. She opened it to find a fresh stack of promotional material for the resort, including a few simple maps of the area. 

“I wish I had more time to read these,” she sighed, glancing over a pamphlet. “I really don’t know what I’m doing. I wasn’t expecting to actually have to talk to anyone today.”

Chiran leaned an elbow on the reception desk and unfolded one of the maps. The resort property was outlined in black, which included the main village - which was where most of the amenities were located - the nest of hotel buildings, and a few private villas reserved for the richest and most important guests. Hiking trails were outlined in green, and out-of-bounds areas were shaded in red. These mostly included the few buildings in which people actually lived. Apparently, a long time ago, Su Oku village had been just like any other Fire Nation colony. Over the years, it had slowly turned into a tourist attraction. Some of the original residents still clung to its identity as a community, though most of them had become incorporated into the resort’s functionality in one way or another.

“Hi there! Welcome to Su Oku Village! Whether you’re looking to book a visit to our luxurious vacation resort, or simply need a tour of the area, I would be more than happy to assist you!”

For a moment, Chiran was caught off-guard by Lin’s customer service voice. He glanced up from the map to see that the travellers were standing only a few feet away. The taller one was young, probably younger than he was. He kept his head low, as though he was hiding his face, but stood with his shoulders thrust proudly back. The shorter one was elderly and stout, presumably a grandfather or a mentor of the younger man. He stepped forward, bowed, and addressed Lin in a soft, gentle voice.

“Greetings, young lady. Would you happen to know of a place that would take in two weary travellers for the night?”

Chiran peered at the man over the top of the map, while trying his best to act as though he was not. He looked oddly familiar, like someone he had seen in an old painting, though he supposed if the man were famous, he wouldn’t be travelling in such rough condition. Now that they were in front of him, Chiran could see the matting in their hair and the dirt stains on their clothes. They looked like they had been walking for days - weeks even. Lin didn’t skip a beat.

“Certainly sir. We currently have a small selection of rooms available, and several relaxation packages. Shall I go over the options with you?”

The taller man spoke up.

“Uncle, we don’t have time for this. We barely have any money, certainly not enough for a room at a fancy hotel,” he grumbled.

Suddenly, Tiddock gasped.

“You’re Prince Zuko!”

All eyes turned to the young man, who covered his face with one hand in exasperation. The light of recognition flashed in Chiran’s head. He remembered looking at stoic portraits of the royal family in his textbooks and the gossip that had buzzed among his friends when the prince was first sighted with his ghastly scar.

“And you! You’re General Iroh!” Tiddock gaped and pointed to the elderly man. “Wha… what are you doing here?!”

Chiran felt Lin lean towards him.

“Is it really them?” she whispered.

“Oh, it’s them,” Chiran affirmed. 

The old man chuckled.

“Yes my son, you are correct. If I might ask, is there anyone in this town who would be willing to share a cup of tea with the son and brother of the mighty Fire Lord?”

“Ah… uh… Certainly! Uh… sir!” Tiddock stammered, “O-one moment please! Wait right there!”

He took off at a sprint, leaving the two men standing in front of the kiosk. There was an awkward pause. After a moment, Lin cleared her throat and shuffled her papers slightly. 

“Well. Um, please. Make yourselves comfortable. I’m.. sure he’ll be back shortly.”

The two travellers took a seat on Tiddock’s napping rock. Lin hissed at Chiran. He folded up his map and set it on the counter.

“What’s up?”

“How did Tiddock know who they were?” she asked, furtively.

“Are you kidding? Everyone knows what the royal family looks like. Didn’t you pay any attention in school?”

“First of all,” Lin retorted, still keeping her voice low, “I grew up in the Earth Kingdom. I went to Earth Kingdom school. Second, my schoolhouse was turned into the main hall when I was twelve.”

“Ok, fair, but didn’t you hear the rumors go around about the prince’s scar a few years back?” Chiran countered.

“Yeah, but not in detail,” she replied. “I guess people thought I wouldn't find gossipping about someone’s burn scars very funny.”

Chiran rubbed his neck awkwardly.

“Oh, I guess not.” 

At that moment, the prince noticed that they were staring at him.

“What are you looking at?” he snarled. 

Lin stifled a giggle and looked away. 

“Talk about Prince Charming,” Chiran quipped.

That time, Lin couldn’t repress her laughter. Chiran rode the momentum.

“Like, why is he so uptight anyway? He should chill out - probably just needs to get laid.”

Lin eyed him with a tight-lipped smile. He looked back at her, suspiciously. 

“What?”

“I was thinking the same thing,” she said. “I’m glad I have your approval.”

The implication of what she said dawned on him.

“Lin… you’re not thinking of -” 

He was cut off by the return of Tiddock, with the head of customer experience in tow. She bowed deeply to the travelers, who immediately rose to their feet.

“Welcome, Prince Zuko, General Iroh. I am Madam Hizone. As the finest luxury resort in all of the Fire Nation, we would be honoured to host members of the royal family within our walls. Please, make yourselves at home here. We will do our absolute best to provide for your every need.”

“How much will it cost us?” the prince grunted.

“We are humbled by the opportunity to host such esteemed guests. We would not think to charge for such a privilege! Please, allow me to show you to your villa.” 

The pair glanced at each other. Lin and Chiran waited anxiously. 

“We are honoured by such a warm display of generosity,” General Iroh said, “and even more so by the presence of such a refined and beautiful lady.”

Madam Hizone blushed into her sleeve, then led the pair towards the guest accommodations.

As soon as they were out of earshot, the remaining trio breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Hey Tiddock!” Chiran exclaimed. “Lin said she was gonna-”

Lin cut him off with a sharp tap of a stack of pamphlets on the wooden desk. 

“Chiran, I never got to thank you for delivering these to me. I really appreciate it. But I’m sure you’ve got lots of other things to do. Please, don’t let me keep you.”

She aimed a pointed glance at him, a hint of a smile dancing around her lips. 

He shook his head. 

“Alright, alright, I can take a hint.” 

He stepped back from the kiosk.

“Bye guys! Nice to meet you, man.” 

He sent an extra wave to Tiddock and set out towards the dining hall. He didn’t quite know how Lin was planning to get close to the prince, and he was fascinated to find out. But it sounded risky, and he was glad not to have any part in it. Being a simple errand boy - that occasionally got to listen in on juicy gossip - had always suited him just fine.


	2. Remorseless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iroh drags Zuko to a restaurant, and they reconnect with their new friend.

Zuko sighed in relief when the door to the villa clicked shut. He glanced around. As uneasy as he was to be there, he could not deny the quality of their living space. The room was elegantly decorated, with lush, red curtains over the beds and delicate paintings hanging on the walls. The furniture was sparse, but sufficient. The compactness of its organization, combined with the large, open windows on the east and west walls, made their single-roomed dwelling seem a lot more spacious than it was. He strode to one of the windows and gazed across the resort property.

He heard Iroh’s heavy footsteps behind him.

“What a lovely place!” he said in his perpetually tempered tone, “We are certainly fortunate to have stumbled upon such pleasant accommodations.” 

Zuko did not reply. While Madam Hizone had seemed to be genuine in her welcome, there was still a part of him that felt the need to move on. As much as his uncle seemed to enjoy the resort, he knew he would never be able to relax while his honour was at stake. What’s more, he was hungry, and very tired, neither of which eased his already turbulent state of mind. 

“Say,” Iroh continued, “I wonder if we could manage to stumble upon some equally delicious dinner!”

He chuckled merrily.

“There’s probably a restaurant somewhere in the village,” Zuko replied, without looking.

“Good thinking, nephew! But I suppose we should wash up if we’re to be seen in polite society.”

Zuko turned to face his uncle, then immediately balked and covered his eyes. Iroh had stripped off his dirty, travel-worn robe and was exploring the room for a replacement. 

“Must you, uncle?” he exclaimed, gesturing aggressively with his free hand, “The windows are open! What if someone sees you?” 

Iroh did not seem to notice.

Still shielding his eyes, Zuko walked to the pair of beds that had been built into the southern wall. A red-trimmed, linen robe lay folded on each, with extras of various sizes tucked away in drawers underneath. He picked up the corner of one of the robes, leaving a grimy mark where his fingers had touched it. He frowned at the sediment that had collected in the lines of his calloused hand. 

“I’m going to get us some water.”

“Don’t take too long!” Iroh replied, “I can’t wait to find out how well the tea is brewed in such a fine establishment!”

Zuko grabbed a small, clay bucket and silently exited the villa. 

As the sun began to set, the pair embarked on their quest to find the resort’s dining amenities. They had not been able to manage a proper bath, since there were no private bathing facilities in their single room, but they had cleaned their faces, hands, and feet as thoroughly as they could. Considering they had been adrift on a raft without food or water less than twenty-four hours prior, one could say they looked rather tidy. 

The dining hall was bright and bustling. Zuko salivated at the ambient smell of hot oil and savoury steam. Several groups of well-dressed visitors were clustered at the entrance of the hall. Not long after they entered, they were approached by a ruddy-faced, smiling man in a dressy server’s outfit.

“Welcome!” he exclaimed when he saw them, “Please gentlemen, right this way.” 

He bowed and motioned with his hand. A disgruntled murmur rippled among the guests who were still waiting to be seated. When they reached their table, Iroh sat down with a grunt and eagerly examined the embossed menu in front of him. 

“My name is Jode,” the man said, “Please don’t hesitate to call for me if you need anything at all.”

Zuko nodded to him, then took a seat across from his uncle. The sheer number of people in the hall made him uneasy. The bigger the crowd, the bigger the chance someone was going to turn hostile. His eyes darted around the room, on the lookout for the faintest sign of trouble. All he saw were posh vacationers cackling over steaming dishes of food. Iroh glanced up from the menu and smiled.

“Zuko, look! It’s the young woman who gave us such a kind welcome this afternoon.” 

Zuko looked over his shoulder, expecting to see Madam Hizone, but instead, he saw the girl he’d caught staring at him from the registration hut. If she’d been embarrassed by the situation, she hid it extraordinarily well. She bowed to them.

“Good evening! My name’s Lin, and I’ll be your server this evening.”

“Ahh, a pretty name matches an even prettier face!” Iroh crooned.

“Thanks,” Lin chirped, “My mom gave them to me.” 

Iroh laughed heartily.

“And clever too! My, my, is she not a fine young lady, nephew?”

Zuko refused to make eye contact with either of them, preferring at that moment the sight of the paneled, wood floor. It wasn’t that he disagreed with him, at least, not entirely. In his begrudging opinion, she was more than “fine” or “pretty” - he had never seen a pair of eyes sparkle the way hers did, or such a face that could light up a whole room - but he would rather die than admit it. He’d already been embarrassed enough by his uncle’s forward attitude. So he ignored both of them.

“I’m not sure about clever, but I’m smart enough to take your orders,” Lin quipped. “What can I get for you both?”

Zuko listened as Iroh ordered dish after dish. He eventually began to wonder if even one with as big an appetite as his uncle’s would be able to handle it all. Lin took it in stride, nodding after every order, all the while with an empty smile tattooed on her face. 

“... and a pot of ginseng tea, please.” Iroh concluded. 

“Absolutely. And for you, sir?”

She turned to Zuko. He burned under the focus of her gaze, just as he had earlier that afternoon. He had never met someone who could light another person on fire just by looking at them, bender or otherwise.

“I’m not hungry,” he lied.

“Oh Zuko, you need to keep up your strength!” Iroh chided, “Come now, maybe our lovely friend can recommend something you would enjoy.”

“I suggest the sword-mackerel dumplings,” Lin chimed without missing a beat, “They’re the daily special.”

As hungry as he was, he was even more wary of the resort’s instant and superfluous generosity. He continued to glare at the floor, trying to keep the heat of her stare from rising into his face.

“He’ll take the dumplings,” Iroh whispered. 

Lin nodded. As she walked away, Iroh called out to her.

“And can you add some to my order as well please?” 

“No problem!” Lin replied, briskly saluting him with two fingers.

Zuko waited until he could no longer hear her retreating footsteps.

“What’s wrong with you?” He snapped, “Why do you go out of your way to hit on every single woman we see?”

Iroh chuckled.

“There’s nothing wrong with a little light-hearted conversation, nephew. She knew I didn’t mean her any harm.”

Zuko folded his arms across his chest and slumped into his chair.

“You didn’t raise this complaint with our friend June, if I recall correctly,” Iroh continued.

“The bounty hunter? What does that have to do with anything?” Zuko snarled.

“I was only curious as to why you’re so protective over her. It’s rare that you show such consideration,” Iroh said with a twinkle in his eyes. 

“I’m not being protective!!!” 

Zuko slammed the table with his hands, rattling the silverware. A few heads turned towards the commotion. Iroh waved cheerfully.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. My nephew’s having troubles with a girl, that’s all.”

A few women tittered and the atmosphere of the restaurant went back to normal. Zuko glared daggers at Iroh, who hummed a warbling tune to himself as he grabbed a paper pamphlet off of the table and began to fold it.

After a while, Lin returned, balancing two dishes on each arm. She set a serving of dumplings in front of each of them, and the other two plates in front of Iroh. 

“Alright, here you go! I’ll be back with your other dishes as soon as they’re ready,” she said.

“Thank you very much! It all looks delicious,” Iroh said emphatically. He lifted the origami flower he had folded from the pamphlet. “Before you go, my nephew made this. He said he wanted you to have it.”

Zuko was stunned.

“Uncle!!!” he growled.

Lin laughed heartily as she accepted the gift. She narrowed her eyes at Zuko.

“Well, tell your nephew that it’s beautiful and I am extremely touched. Let me know if you two need anything else.”

She shot a wink at Zuko before walking away. His jaw dropped, and Iroh erupted into laughter.


	3. Decryption

“On your left!”

Lin stepped aside to avoid being toppled by Chiran and his tub of dirty dishes. She watched him weave among the crowd of servers, who were tidying the mess left by a lunchtime garden party. She scanned the yard for any centerpieces she might have missed. Her eyes landed on one of the other waitresses, a girl named Yumi. She was staring at her and giggling into her sleeve. Lin sent her a look that only Su Oku Resort serving staff knew to mean “What’s going on?” Still giggling, Yumi pointed away from the garden towards the riverbank. Lin followed her gesture and saw Prince Zuko standing alone, looking stoically across the river. She wasn’t sure whether or not she was being mocked, but she decided to be grateful for the information. 

Subtle as it was, their interaction had attracted the attention of a few other staff members. Word spread quickly among her peers, and news of her interest in the royal recluse had been no exception. Her best friend Hina crept up next to her and whispered in her ear.

“Go. We’ll cover for you.”

After taking a moment to check that Jode, her supervisor, wasn’t looking, Lin gave a thankful wave to her friends and slipped out of the garden towards the river. 

“Lin, are you crazy?! He’s royalty!” Chiran exclaimed - then, “Ow!” as Hina elbowed him in the ribs. 

As she approached the prince, she positioned herself so that a hedge conveniently obscured the line of sight between herself and her coworkers. Her heart leapt. He was gorgeous, even from behind - especially from behind. She took a deep, quiet breath.

“So you’re Prince Zuko, huh?” 

He made no reply whatsoever. She smiled and admitted to herself that her opening line was less than enrapturing. She tried again.

“How were the dumplings?”

He glanced over his shoulder. Lin’s stomach fluttered.

“How do you remember what I ate?” he asked. 

“Waitress’ memory.” 

She tapped her head to demonstrate.

“I have to remember what people ordered or I lose my job. If I had to recite everything your uncle ordered, well, that’d be a different story.”

Her tone was jovial, but he didn’t laugh. He stared at her for a minute, then returned his gaze to the river. She took another quiet breath before pitching her next line. 

“It’s funny…” 

She began to walk toward him.

“I always wondered what the royal family looked like.”

As she approached, he began to walk away from her along the riverbank. 

“You must not be from around here,” he muttered, bitterly. 

She smiled slyly to herself. 

“Actually I am,” she retorted, stopping in place. 

Zuko stopped as well. As much as he tried to hide it, he was interested. Maybe not in the same way she was interested, but it was something she could work with. She swallowed her butterflies and continued.

“I was born here, back when Su Oku was still part of the Earth Kingdom.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve been here longer than all your friends from the Fire Nation.”

Zuko bowed his head. Someone who was less engrossed in the details of his form might not have noticed the tension build in his arms and back. At first she wondered if he was angry at her, but the slight collapse in his posture told her otherwise. After what felt like minutes, but was in reality only a few seconds, he replied.

“I’m sorry.”

She had anticipated a few types of responses from him, but an apology was not one of them. She scoffed in surprise. 

“You say that as though you had something to do with it. I don’t think there was much you could have done; it was a long time ago, and you don’t look that much older than me. What do you have to be sorry about?”

He paused for a moment, then sighed.

“I’m sorry that it happened. If it makes it any better, I wouldn’t exactly say that I’m friends with the Fire Nation.”

He turned, so that his shoulders were pointing toward her. His face was proud, hardened like a mask over his youthful features. Her mind grasped at a reply. Her gut told her that asking the Fire Prince why he was unwelcome in his own country wouldn’t be the smartest move. His stare was intense and slightly foreboding, but she wasn’t about to let that get in her way. She pointed to a metal statue of a Fire Nation warrior on a piece of land that jutted into the river. 

“See that shrine? My father and I used to have picnics in its shadow. Except back then it was less of a shrine and more of a large tree.” 

She glanced back to see that a quiver of a smile had twisted onto his lips. The gleam of something sweet that flickered in his beautiful amber eyes threatened a significant blow to her composure. Looking past him at the shrine, she took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them.

“Someday, I’d like to go looking for another picnic tree with him. That is, if I ever see him again.”

She looked into his eyes and froze. Perhaps it was because they were standing a little too close, or perhaps there was something about the way he was staring at her - intense and searching, with his lips slightly parted, but she found herself caught, commanded by his gaze. She had been doing well, but now her bravado diffused like mist. For a moment, all she could do was stand her ground. 

His face softened slightly, and Lin thought she saw a hint of pain twisting around the corners of his eyes and mouth. He blinked, then looked away, and turned towards the river. Together they watched the waves roll out and over the tall, rocky cliff. Lin found her voice.

“Can I expect you for dinner again tonight?”

“I have to go,” Zuko said, nearly cutting her off. 

Before she could say another word, he marched away. She watched him for as long as her conscience would allow - in the back of her mind, she knew her friends still needed her help. As short as their interaction had been, it had given her a wealth of information. He was guarded, to be sure, but she didn’t sense cruelty behind his walls. He was likely troubled; at war with himself. He acted as though he intended to shun her, but there was a part of him that reached out to her for connection. It was confusing, but she preferred it over its converse - she had met boys who preyed on naive, lonely girls by drawing them in with false warmth, all the while with every intention of casting them aside at their earliest convenience. 

She turned around and broke into a light sprint towards the garden. As she neared the entrance, Hina sent her a look that said “How did it go?” Lin responded with a limp shrug. Hina returned the gesture, and together they followed the rest of the serving staff back into the dining hall.


	4. Cut of Compassion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko realizes he has a hard time trusting others, and for the first time in ages, he wonders what it would be like to let someone in.

The moment Zuko woke, he was on edge. He sat up straight and scanned his surroundings for potential threats. All he saw was an empty room and his red, cotton bedsheets. He heard Iroh snoring in the bed beside his, and a choir of early morning birdsong. Ever since Zhao had destroyed his ship, he had been on guard at all times - at first from Fire Nation soldiers, then from aggressive wildlife and bandits. To say that the past few weeks had been hard on him would be an understatement. Being surrounded by civilization again felt strange. On the other hand, ever since he had located the Avatar, his life had become stranger than it had ever been. It was something he was learning to get used to. 

He rose carefully, so as not to wake his uncle. The robe he had been wearing the previous day lay on the floor. When he picked it up, a rain of sediment drifted down onto the polished wood. He ran a hand through his ponytail. It was grimy and matted, and similarly full of debris. He decided that he should clean himself immediately. He threw his dirty clothes to the side and headed towards the river.

It was only just past dawn, and there was a slight chill in the breeze. Zuko welcomed the sensation of the air on his skin. He took a few deep breaths, absorbing the spirit of the sun. As he neared the river, he heard the clear, bright voice of a young woman ringing above the rushing water. Without thinking, he headed towards the sound. The singer was bending near the river. When she straightened, he recognized the ruffled, bleached hair of the girl who had approached him the day before. She was filling a few buckets with water as she sang. She had rolled up her sleeves and tied back her skirt to wade in the river. Zuko paused for a moment to watch her. 

She was fascinating. 

When she turned and saw him watching her, she jumped so hard that she nearly dropped her buckets. 

“I-I’m sorry about the noise, I didn’t mean to wake you, or -” she stammered. Zuko cut her off.

“You have a beautiful voice.”

She put down her buckets.

“Thanks. Everyone says it sounds exactly like my mom’s.”

She bit her lip, and he felt her eyes trail down his body. As the rightful heir to his father’s throne, Zuko made it a point to be prepared for anything. But after having lived on a ship full of men for the past three years, it seemed there were some things he had forgotten. He felt the heat of embarrassment rise into his face. A part of him wished he had brought his robe to the river, dirty as it was. Another part of him, one that he didn’t know existed, was very pleased by the attention she was giving him, and had a great many interesting ideas on how he should respond. Desperate to escape the situation, he blurted,

“Does your mom live around here?”

“No, not anymore.” 

She cocked her head to one side, a light dancing behind her eyes.

“Do you want to know why?”

He couldn’t explain it, but he did want to know why. His mind went back to their previous conversation. He supposed she and her mother must have been separated when the Fire Nation had invaded the village. A pang of sorrow gripped him. In his mind’s eye, he saw his own mother, shrouded in a black cloak, whispering her love for him in the dead of night before vanishing forever. A devious grin spread onto the girl’s face. She knew he was curious, and she was going to take advantage of it.

“Well if you do, you’re going to have to answer a question for me first.”

He scowled, mostly out of habit.

“I’m not in the habit of answering questions for commoners.”

“Well I’m not in the habit of interviewing princes,” Lin retorted, “but there’s a first time for everything I guess. You probably wouldn’t want to hear about what happened to my mom anyway, seeing as she’s a lowly commoner.” She spat the word with exaggerated venom. “Too bad - it’s a great story. Very tragic.”

She turned away from him, as light and careless as the breeze, to pick up her buckets. He would not be dismissed, especially not by a mere peasant girl. 

“Stop,” he commanded, but she walked right past him. 

Exasperated, he called out, “I’ll answer the question.”

She paused.

“What do you say?” she chirped.

“I said I’ll answer the question,” he grumbled, “Now get on with it before I change my mind.”

She laughed and put down her buckets.

“Ok then, I guess I’d better pick a good one.”

He kept a careful eye on her as she tapped her chin with her finger dramatically.

“You have a sister, right? What’s she like?”she asked.

“Azula…” he mumbled.

His mind raced. Was this a trick? Why would she want to know about Azula? Was it possible that she had been in contact with Zhao, and was working together with him to hunt him down? She seemed innocent enough, but as he well knew, people were never as simple as they seemed. Then he saw her arms. The skin was raised and crinkled, the scar of a severe burn. The wound began at the tip of her wrists, and ran all the way up to her elbows. A knot began to form in his stomach. It was clear that she had been badly hurt at some point in her life. Even considering the possibility that she was plotting against him, he was gripped by a compulsion to know what the Fire Nation had done to her. Perhaps, even if she wasn’t going to be truthful with him, she would at least understand a portion of his pain. 

He cleared his throat.

“Well… yes. I have a sister. She’s… “

He paused. How would he even begin to describe Azula? He knew what he wanted to say, but as awful as she was, he felt reluctant to out her as his tormentor and self-appointed rival to her own subjects. And besides, how could he possibly make her understand the impossible labyrinth that was his sister? He had a thought.

“You kind of remind me of her, actually.”

“Oh? How so?” the girl asked.

“Well, you’re both pretty,” he said without thinking.

The girl laughed with abandon, a joyful cry that echoed across the island. His face flushed when he realized what he had said.

“Not that I… Azula’s not… and you, I mean, I just… She’s confident!” he blurted, “You’re both confident! And assertive and… you have a way of getting what you want.”

Her blue eyes sparkled playfully. Laughter had left a wide smile on her face that was both warm and dazzling. Zuko’s stomach turned from the sight of it. 

“Hmm, very interesting. It seems you’ve got me pretty well pegged - I’m impressed. And your sister seems like a very powerful woman.”

Zuko scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“Yeah… I guess you could say that.”

“I guess I should hold up my end of the deal, hm?” she continued. 

She sat down on the dewy grass with her face towards the river and gestured for him to join her. Reluctantly, he obliged. 

“Before the Fire Nation arrived, this was a crafting town. We used the motion of the river to power our tools. My father was a blacksmith, and my brother was set up to study as his apprentice.”

Her voice was surprisingly rich for someone so young. It might have helped that she spoke every word with an air of deep authenticity. 

“I was eleven when the Fire Nation came. We didn’t have any sort of military defense, so the village surrendered, and thankfully, nobody was harmed. But my father was a proud man. He didn’t want to live if he couldn’t do it on his terms. He took my mother and my brother and left the village. Of course, he wanted me to come with him.”

She picked at the dead grass buried under the living blades and tossed it to the side.

“Why didn’t you?” Zuko prompted.

She drew her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

“By that point I was already working for Mr. Jode. Nothing serious, only odd cleaning jobs here and there. But he treated me kindly. He’s a good man. I had fun when I was working for him, and I felt… valued. I felt safe.”

She was staring out over the river. He looked intently into her eyes. Her face was steady and strong, but the blue of her irises were clouded by memories of pain.

“So I decided to stay here. My parents could have tried to force me to go with them, but they knew Mr. Jode had my back. He offered me a place to stay until I started earning enough to support myself. The last time I saw my family was five years ago.”

She glanced up at him, and her face brightened in reassurance.

“It’s okay. The staff here are the best family I could ask for. It was a hard decision, but I’m happy with it. When I told my parents I was going to stay, they felt I had betrayed them. But really, they were the ones who had been betraying me for my whole life.”

She smiled weakly, then fell silent. They sat quietly together for a while. Zuko felt strong sympathy for her, though that did not scope the breadth of what he was feeling. Betrayal… the idea had haunted him for three long years. Had he betrayed his family by trying to defend his own people? His father insisted so, but he could not understand it. He spent every waking moment trying to prove himself - to his father and to anyone else who cared enough to notice - but it had always been futile. The judgement cast on him preceded any of his actions through the mark on his face. 

The girl rested her chin on her knees. Now that he was closer, he could see the scars on her arm in full detail - the crinkled, glossy surface and the mosaic of blotchy, red skin underneath. She had made no effort to hide them from him, and she had not mentioned them in her story. It seemed she wore them with neither shame nor pride. She claimed the inhabitants of the village had become like her family, but he didn’t understand how she could feel that way when the change had left her with such a palpable injury.

He broke the silence.

“You said nobody was hurt when the Fire Nation invaded your village. What about your arms?” 

She looked at him and grinned; that mysterious, charming, electric grin. 

“I don’t think that’s an answer you’d be willing to barter for.”

Her eyes shifted to the scar over his left eye. He raised a hand to it gingerly. Before he could reply, she stood up, grabbed her water buckets, and walked back towards the resort. She was right - he would never be willing to tell that story to a complete stranger like her. He was appalled at his own audacity in asking her something so personal. But there was something about her that made him feel like he could trust her, despite the fact that he couldn’t even remember her name. 

When she had departed from view, he found himself alone, and he was able to bathe in the river as he had originally intended. He undressed and unwrapped his hair. The water was cold, but nowhere near as cold as the water at the North Pole had been. As he worked the knots out of his hair, he reflected on their conversation.

As bold as he had been by asking her about herself, she had shown the same audacity with him - perhaps even more so. She really was like Azula. He could tell she was every bit as quick-witted and self-assured, and she knew how to use those traits to her advantage. But in another way, she was nothing like Azula. For his entire life, his sister had been nothing but selfish and cruel. She used her sharp mind as a knife, to enforce her will on the world and to wound those who disagreed with her. She commanded those around her through fear and torture. Nothing could be further from what felt from the waitress girl. Everything about her was warm and inviting in a way that reminded him of the memories he had of his mother. He sensed no malice from her, and no lust for dominance. She used the blade of her wits to prune, to carve away old defenses and reveal the life force within. At very least, that was the impression she gave him. As much as he relied on the shell he had built to protect him from the cruelty of the world, he wondered what she might find if he were to let her carve a bit of it away. 

As soon as he had the thought, he retracted it. He had been right before; he barely knew her, and he couldn’t afford to trust her intentions. Without her charm to distract him, he was able to clear his mind. He knew he had to stay focused on his goal, on what he truly wanted. He wanted his old life back. His honour. His happiness and his pride depended on it. There was no telling what this strange girl was trying to accomplish by building a connection with him. He would have to be more careful going forward about how he behaved around her, not to mention the rest of the people on the island. He shook her off like an old coat. Still, the blade of her phantom knife pressed against his heart, even as he dried himself and returned to the villa.


	5. Symbiosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin has opinions about her interaction with Zuko... and so do her friends.

A wave of heat greeted Lin when she opened the door to the kitchen. She dropped her water-filled buckets on the floor and wiped her brow with her sleeve. On the other side of a wide, wooden island, Chef Larong and her apprentice, a young girl named Kotoma, were busily chopping a truly mountainous pile of vegetables. She waved to them. Larong waved back - Kotoma dropped her knife and dashed out of the room. Lin heard Hina call to her from the direction of the stove.

“Have a good walk?” 

Lin joined her in front of a pan full of sizzling fire flakes. 

“I’ll tell you in exchange for some of that,” she replied, cupping her hands.

Hina reached for a small bowl.

“I’m not going to put hot fire flakes in your hands, silly.” 

She scooped some flakes into the bowl and handed it to her.

“You have to tell me what you think.”

As soon as they were cool enough, Lin dropped a pinch of the flakes into her mouth.

“Is this miso?”

“Yes, what do you think?”

“They taste perfect to me,” Lin said, dusting her hand on her skirt. “I thought you were done with this one.”

Hina returned her attention to the frying pan.

“I just feel like I can do better, you know? Right now I’m tweaking the flavour profile. I think I can do more to really bring out the character of the soybeans.”

Lin shrugged.

“Personally, your garlic flavour is my favourite.”

“The one with honey and ginger? Or the cumin one?” Hina asked.

Their conversation was interrupted by a shrill voice. 

“Lin!!!”

Kotoma ran towards them, holding out a brush and a few ribbons.

“Do my hair?”

Lin wordlessly grabbed the tools and Kotoma turned to present her frazzled mop.

“I meant the cumin one,” Lin clarified. “Honestly, I forgot about the sweet flavour. How many different kinds of fire flakes do we even need? Are you ever going to stop inventing them?”

“Maybe when the world ends,” Hina said, casually. 

“Maybe?”

“I’ll consider it.”

They both giggled. At that moment, Yumi walked into the room carrying a broom and a dirty dustpan.

“Ugh, finally you’re back.” After cracking open the back door and tipping out the contents of her dustpan, she filled a teapot with some of the water Lin had retrieved from the river and put it on the stove to boil. “What took you so long?”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Lin replied, her eyes fixed on Kotoma’s hair. “I got a little caught up chatting with Prince Zuko.”

All activity in the kitchen paused. A small crowd formed around her. She rolled her eyes. Hina turned off the stove and shoved the pan of fire flakes off the heat.

“Why was that not the first thing you told me when you walked in here?!” she exclaimed.

“I wanted fire flakes!” Lin protested. She glanced around at the gossip-hungry faces. “Alright, alright…”

Her recount of her conversation with Zuko was faithful, for the most part. If the emphasis she placed on the absence of his shirt was unnecessary, it was at least appreciated by her audience. They squealed, gasped, and cheered in turn - Larong and Hina even stomped and hooted when they heard her parting line. Pre-pubescent Kotoma didn’t seem to fully grasp what was going on, but she readily embraced the excitement.

“Then what happened?” Yumi clamboured. 

Lin secured the ribbon on Kotoma’s newly-tidied head and released her back into the world. 

“Then I came straight here and ate some fire flakes,” she replied.

Yumi’s face fell. She turned to the now-boiling kettle and set about making herself a cup of tea. 

“So why didn’t you make a move?” Hina asked with a devious smirk.

“Well… I guess I didn’t want to ruin the moment. I’m sure I’ll get another chance,” she said.

“It probably isn’t much use anyway,” Yumi said. “He probably just sees you as a peasant girl from the colonies. That’s how I would feel if I was a princess.”

“Thanks Yumi. Good to know,” Lin said.

Larong put an arm around her.

“Lin, it’s great that you were able to have a nice conversation, and I’m very happy he was able to make you feel heard. But be careful with how much work you put into this relationship.”

Lin’s brow furrowed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hina watching Larong’s face carefully.

“What do you mean?” Lin asked.

“Honey, he’s just a boy, even if he is the prince.”

“I know. I’m not intimidated by him…” Lin floundered.

Larong put a hand under her chin.

“You’re a bright young lady, and your time and energy are very valuable. I don’t want you wasting them when you could be achieving your dreams.”

Lin squirmed in her grasp. Larong released her chin, but grabbed her upper arms instead.

“What dreams? I’m a waitress,” she protested.

“I kind of get where she’s coming from,” Hina interjected. 

Lin turned to face her, breaking free of Larong’s grasp.

“You’re such a caring person, Lin. You have such a big heart. And I know that sometimes, you can get attached to people really quickly.”

Larong nodded.

Lin glanced between them. Her heart began to beat harder. She took a breath and squared her shoulders.

“You guys are acting like I need something from him. I don’t,” she declared. “It’s not a question of whether or not he’s worth my time, or my energy, or whatever. I’m talking to him because I want to. That’s it.”

The air was sharp with silence. Larong put a hand on her shoulder.

“I didn’t mean to make you upset. We just don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”

Lin peered into her kind face. She sighed, and allowed herself to be pulled into a hug.

“I know. Thank you.”

“Anytime, hun,” Larong replied, squeezing her tightly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, these veggies won’t cut themselves!”

She called for Kotoma as she bustled back to her work station. Kotoma scampered to her side and picked up her little knife dutifully. 

“Hey.”

Lin felt Hina sidle up to her. 

“I just want you to know that I’ve got your back, no matter what you decided to do. And I admire how brave you are. I could never flirt with a prince.”

The kindness in her eyes made her anxiety seem foolish and petty. Still, Larong’s advice stuck with her. It troubled her that she could not be sure that what she wanted to do was right. Hina noticed her worried look.

“It’s ok. If he breaks your heart, Larong and I will kick his butt.”

Lin couldn’t help but laugh. She decided, at least for the time being, to pack away her fears to be dealt with at a time of greater convenience. Together, they set about preparing the dining hall for a day of busy service, and soon, the troubles weighing on Lin’s heart were long forgotten.


	6. A Study in Pluralism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin learns that sharing tea with an interesting stranger is one of life's great pleasures.

Iroh was relaxing on a couch by the window when Zuko burst into the room in his usual aggressive manner.

“Ahh, good morning, Zuko! Out for a refreshing morning walk?”

Zuko ignored him, walked past him to his bed, and pulled a fresh robe from the drawer underneath. Iroh smiled at his characteristic dismissal. He watched as he pulled the robe around him decisively and knelt on the floor in front of a row of unlit candles.

“Would you care to join me for breakfast at the dining hall?” he inquired.

Zuko placed his hands on his lap and closed his eyes. The wicks of the candles began to smoke.

“No thank you.”

Each candle simultaneously burst into a small, yellow flame. 

“Are you not hungry, nephew?” Iroh chided, “You didn’t eat very much at dinner yesterday. Besides, I’m sure our good friend Lin will be expecting us. We wouldn’t want to disappoint her.” 

The candles flared a bit brighter. 

“Who? The waitress?” Zuko grunted, “I doubt she keeps track of the people she serves. And she’s not our friend. She’s probably nice to everyone to get tips.”

His nephew kept a cool external composure, but the unstable flickering of the candles gave him away. Iroh smiled to himself. 

“I wouldn’t be so sure. She seemed very happy to receive that flower yesterday. I would not be surprised if she thinks you are a very handsome young man.” 

He had hardly finished his sentence when the candle flames leapt up nearly to the ceiling. Zuko opened his eyes and snapped at him.

“Uncle! She does not think I’m handsome! Why are you making this such a big deal? I wouldn’t even care if she did!”

Iroh chucked. His nephew was a terrible liar. His face burned as brightly as the candles before him. Regardless, he turned and headed for the door. 

“Suit yourself. I’ll make sure to bring you back something.”

He heard Zuko sigh with frustration as he shut the door behind him. Zuko was a proud and stubborn boy, but he loved him dearly. It pained him to think of the tragedies he had suffered in his mere sixteen years of life. As much as he wanted to help him appreciate the good things in life, he was well aware that he could not force his nephew to find happiness, and so there was little more he could do besides watch and wait, and make sure he was there for him whenever he needed support - and even sometimes when he didn’t. 

He opened the doors to the dining hall and saw the manager - a kind-hearted, jovial man with whom he had conversed at length during the previous afternoon’s garden lunch.

“Good morning, Mr. Jode. Lovely day, is it not?”

Jode beamed when he saw him.

“General Iroh! It is truly a pleasure to see you this morning. Here, let me show you to your table.”

Jode ushered him away with a bounce in his step. When they reached the table, he clapped him on the shoulder and said, 

“If there’s anything my staff and I can do to make your breakfast more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to tell me!”

“Actually, I do have one request,” Iroh replied.

“Of course! I’d be happy to oblige,” Jode said eagerly.

“Is a young woman named Lin on staff this morning?”

“As a matter of fact, she is!” Jode replied. “Can I take a message for you?”

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, would it be possible for her to take my order today? She’s done such an excellent job for the past few days, and I would like to express my appreciation in person.”

Jode smiled warmly. 

“One moment, please. I’ll send her out right away.”

“Many thanks,” Iroh replied.

Less than a minute later, he saw Lin’s glowing, young face emerge through the morning crowd. 

“Good morning, General!” she exclaimed as she approached his table. “What can I get for you today?”

Iroh sat up in his chair and leaned in towards her.

“Good morning, dear. I hope you don’t mind that I requested you.”

“Not at all!” Lin chirped, “It’s pretty common for regular customers to request specific staff members. Some people just get along better than others.” 

Iroh beamed. 

“You are absolutely correct. I can sense that you are wise beyond your years. If you don’t mind me asking, what is your favourite kind of tea?” 

Lin’s brow furrowed at the non-sequitur.

“Oh, um, I really like one of our house blends, personally. It’s called Earthly Blessings. It’s an oolong tea, with peach leaves and a bit of ginger.”

Iroh hummed appreciatively.

“That sounds delicious. I would love to try some.”

“Sure. A whole pot or just one drink?”

“The pot, please. And an extra teacup, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Lin nodded. She ducked off to the kitchen, and very shortly returned with the items he had requested. She set the porcelain pot and both cups on the table, the latter upside-down.

“Thank you, you are very kind,” he said. “Although that is hardly a surprise - you have already shown a great deal of kindness to my nephew.”

Lin made no obvious reaction, but Iroh was practiced in reading the hidden expressions of those who wish to hide them. From the slight shift in her posture and a small nervous laugh, Iroh saw her interest in Zuko as clearly as the midday sun.

“I’m not exactly sure what you mean. I’m sorry to break it to you, but taking people’s orders is just a part of my job,” she quipped.

Iroh carefully poured himself a cup of tea.

“Maybe, but I’m sure the Su Oku Resort is not paying you to socialize with its guests on the riverbank.” He took a measured sip and smiled. “Ooh, very fragrant!”

Any doubts Iroh might have had about Lin’s interests vanished as the colour rose in her cheeks. 

“Hah, well, I’m not sure how much of that is kindness or foolishness, to be honest with you.”

“You discredit yourself with your doubt,” Iroh noted. “Why don’t you sit and have a cup of tea to clear your head? I don't believe my dear nephew will be joining me today, at it would be nice to have some company.”

Lin looked anxious.

“Oh, I’d love to, but I really should be working.”

“It was not a command; you are free to do as you wish. It would be foolish of me to be angry with someone for turning down a simple invitation.”

Lin gasped.

“Oh no, it’s not like that! I love chatting with customers, it’s just… Jode told me he wants me to stop doing that so much.”

She glanced over her shoulder bashfully.

“Well then, I’ve changed my mind!” he exclaimed. “I, General Iroh, the Dragon of the West and brother to his majesty Fire Lord Ozai, command you to take a break from your work and talk with me! And you may repeat that to whomever you wish!” 

Lin couldn’t help but laugh. Smiling, Iroh filled the extra cup and offered it to her.

“Now please. Why don’t you have some tea?”

“Okay. Since you insist.”

Lin slid into the seat opposite Iroh and received the cup from his hands. She took a long, careful sip, slowly breathing in the aromatic steam. When she lowered the cup, her entire demeanor had changed. The radiant smile she generally kept about her had flown from her face, leaving behind a serious, focused expression. The energy that simmered endlessly around her had focused into the point of a shining blade that glinted in the pupils of her blue-grey eyes. The girl sitting across from him now seemed to be a much more honest version of Lin than the one with whom he had conversed only a moment prior.

They sat and drank their tea in silence, until Lin put down her cup very decidedly and said,

“You seem like a very wise man.”

Iroh chuckled.

“Appearances can be deceiving. Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind, and we’ll see if that proves true.”

She laughed. It was a deep and low laugh that was far removed from her usual lighthearted giggles. 

“Well, I had a conversation with my friends this morning, and it really made me think.”

Iroh waited for her to collect her thoughts.

“You said that I’m kind, and usually people see kindness as a good thing, but it seems to me that it can also be a weakness.”

Iroh set down his cup.

“That is true. There are people in the world that will take a kind deed and repay it with malice. But you must remember that in doing so, they bring pain upon themselves.”

He waited for her response. She simply nodded her head and took another sip of her tea, so he continued.

“Often I find that the energy one puts into the world is the energy one receives. By showing kindness to others, you improve all of humanity with a single act. If someone chooses to respond with cruelty, they are the one that will truly suffer.”

“So I guess it’s never a bad thing to be kind, even when it’s hard,” Lin interjected.

“Precisely! And you may find that kindness is like a muscle; it gets easier the more you exercise it. Though I’m sure you’re well aware of this - as I’ve already said, I can tell your heart is both strong and kind. And that is not a coincidence."

Lin offered him a weak smile as thanks. They both stewed this remark in a healthy dose of tea.

“Is it possible to wear yourself out by being kind all the time?” Lin eventually asked.

“Absolutely,” Iroh replied. “In fact, one of the greatest kindnesses one can show the world is kindness to oneself. You must take care of yourself, otherwise you may ruin your capacity to be kind, which would indeed be a great tragedy.”

Lin turned this over in her mind.

“But how do I know when I should be kind to myself or other people?”

“That is something that you must decide for yourself.”

Lin’s face fell.

“I understand your desire to be cautious,” he continued. “I know very well that great caution can be the result of great suffering. But the same circumstances that produce such caution may also provide the wisdom to understand it. I believe you have seen many hardships, as has my nephew Zuko. In time, I hope his suffering produces the same sort of wisdom in him that has already developed in you.”

Lin smiled.

“Thank you very much for the advice. I hope I can live up to your expectations.”

“It was my pleasure,” Iroh replied. “As long as you stay true to yourself, you will have succeeded beyond anyone’s highest hopes.”

Lin stood, and gathered up her serving tray. In the blink of an eye, she was once again the bubbly, cheerful girl who flattered her customers in a syrupy-sweet voice. 

“Now, what else can I get for you this morning?”

The wink she gave him suggested she was cognisant of her transformation. 

“You know what,” Iroh replied, “Both this tea and last night’s dumplings were absolutely delicious. Why don’t you choose something for me?”

“No problem at all!”

She vanished into the crowd, and once again Iroh was left alone with his thoughts. He had never met a young person with such an interest in the practical philosophy of ethics. It was clear from her phrasing that she was not well-educated, but she was clearly very intelligent nonetheless. She was a lovely young woman, to be sure - kind, wise, patient, clever, not to mention beautiful. If he was a younger man…

He remembered what Zuko had said to him about his interest in women and chuckled. Zuko and his friend Lin were not the only ones who could stand to learn, it seemed.


	7. Motivation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: strong language and body shaming.

Lin ran the back of her hand across her brow and picked up a tray of beverages. It was the lunch rush on an unusually warm afternoon. She wondered if it would be worth it to roll up her sleeves, just for the afternoon. Tray in hand, she circled the upper level of the dining hall, passing out drinks as they were requested. On her first trip around, she noticed the kindly General Iroh sitting with his mysterious and alluring nephew. It had only been a day since her last conversations with the pair, but it had felt like much longer. That was most likely the result of her long work days - things tended to blend together. She managed to keep a straight face as she delivered them a fresh pot of tea. She smiled at Zuko. He held her gaze for a second, before returning decisively to his meal.

“Well, that’s progress,” She thought to herself.

After refilling her tray, she headed out for her second round of deliveries. Two tables over from the royal relatives was a large group of men in their mid-twenties, who, judging from the gleam on their skin and the scent of their clothes, had clearly just returned from an intense game in the sports center. As she walked around the floor, she was able to hear their conversation.

“Hey Shiro, whadya think of the girls they got working at this place?” 

“They’re not bad,” Shiro replied. “I’ve seen hotter.”

“What about that one over there? The short one with the tied-up hair?”

Lin subtly followed their gaze and identified Hina as the object of their scrutiny.

“I’d say she’s like a… six-point-five. Maybe a seven in a nicer dress,” one of the other guys chimed in.

“Yeah, she could be hot, but her ass is too flat.”

The rest of the group mumbled their agreement. Lin rolled her eyes. Guys like these were pretty common, but they never got less annoying. Worse, she knew Hina was sensitive about her appearance, and their words had a tendency to bring her down. 

“What about that one over there? I’d say like an eight. She’s got pretty big tits.”

Lin felt leering eyes hot on her back. She ignored them as best she could, but they were not as subtle as they thought they were, and as much as she tried not to, she heard every word they said.

“No way, not an eight,” Shiro insisted. “I saw her washing dishes once. She’s got these gross, ugly scars all over her arms. It’s fucking disgusting. I wouldn’t do her, even if you paid me to.”

The group exploded in guffaws. Lin truly couldn’t care less what they thought of her arms. She was glad for them if it meant she’d escape harassment from a bunch of sweaty creeps. But at the same time, a small part of her was glad she had kept her sleeves where they were. 

As soon as she put down her tray, she went straight to Hina and grabbed her hand. She winked at her in a way that meant, “Don’t listen to them. Your ass is gorgeous.” Hina squeezed her arm in appreciation. Lin could see hints of tears glistening in her hazel eyes. She made a mental note for when her shift ended to ask Chef Larong if she could spare a few popsicles. 

On her next round of the hall, she noticed Zuko wasn’t in his seat. Her heart fell, but she didn’t let it affect her for long. She focused her energy on taking the orders of the newly-arrived guests. 

“Hey Lin,” Chiran called from the back of the kitchen.

Lin hurried over to his station.

“Can you run out back and check if there are any clean dish towels on the line? All mine are soaking wet.”

He wrung one to demonstrate, making a small puddle of brown dishwasher on the floor. 

“No problem. Give me one sec.”

Lin weaved through the kitchen, dodging pots of steaming broth and line chefs passing dishes between stations. She ducked out of the kitchen to the grassy terrace behind the dining hall. She ran straight to the laundry line, on which were hanging plenty of clean dish cloths. She plucked a few at random and walked briskly back towards the sweltering kitchen. An unexpected voice made her nearly jump out of her skin.

“Hey.”

SMACK!

Instinctively, her hand cracked against flesh. Zuko leapt back into a warrior’s stance, flames dancing at the tips of his fingers. When she saw who had been on the receiving end of her blow, she covered her mouth and gasped as the floor fell out from under her.

“Ohhhhhhhh I am so sorry!”

Zuko relaxed into a normal standing position, but Lin was frozen in shock. A bright red handprint began to appear on his left cheek.

“I am so, so sorry! I didn’t know it was you! Oh no…”

A tiny smile crept onto Zuko's face.

“It’s ok. I scared you.”

“No, no it isn’t! I can’t believe I just hit you! I literally just smacked the prince in the face…”

Zuko took a few steps closer.

“No, Lin. It’s ok. I deserved it.”

Lin dropped her hands from her mouth.

“What?”

“I… shouldn’t have asked about your arms,” Zuko muttered.

Lin stared at him in confusion for a moment.

“What, no, it’s fine! You weren’t trying to be mean. I don’t care about that.”

“I know, but you’d think I’d know better…” He put his hand over the place where Lin had hit him, which was directly underneath the scarred skin around his eye. “I came out here to apologize. If you forgive me, I guess we can call it even.”

Lin smiled in amusement and disbelief. 

“Apology accepted. But I still think I at least owe you a dish of fire flakes. Hina can make them fourteen different ways.”

“Who’s Hina?” Zuko asked.

“She’s my best friend. Mr. Jode always puts us on shift together.”

“She’s the other one those jerks were talking about, right?”

Lin scoffed.

“Yeah. I just tell her to ignore them. Come on.” 

She turned to lead him back through the kitchen, but he stood where he was, his hands clenched into fists.

“They had no right to speak about you that way.”

Lin stopped.

“Yeah, well, what are you gonna do? People are like that. It’s just life.”

She scanned his face for a response, but he was staring past her. His eyes gleamed with anger, and she could see the veins popping out of his arms. 

“Hey, now. I don’t know what you’re planning, but I know it’s not good.”

“Someone needs to teach those guys a lesson.”

He stormed back towards the kitchen, but Lin stepped in front of him.

“Woah, hold it! Maybe someone does, but not today. Let’s go for a walk, ok?”

She took hold of one of his fists with both of her hands and massaged it open. He struggled against her at first, but eventually he relaxed just enough for her to slip her hand into his. His palm was dangerously warm, but it cooled as soon as her fingers slid across it. She gripped his hand tightly and placed her other hand on his arm. 

“I’ll get you and your uncle some fire flakes later. There’s something I want to show you.”


	8. Budding Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the rooftop garden scene from High School Musical but with about a thousand times more angst.

Zuko looked down into Lin’s eyes, which had turned steel grey with worry. Having her so close to him made his hair stand on end. He was very uncomfortable whenever anyone but his uncle came within arm’s reach. He was intensely aware of how little he knew her, and how little he knew about her intentions. His instincts told him to push her away, to grab Iroh and leave the village immediately. But as much as he resented it, deep down, he wanted to trust her. The positive energy he felt from her was overwhelming - it radiated from her words, her laugh, her eyes, and even from her fingertips resting gently on his upper arm. It absorbed through his clothes, into his skin, down to his very core - and it felt marvelous. 

So instead of running, he held tightly to her hand and allowed her to lead him through the village, around and behind buildings, across wooden planks, until they reached a crumbling stone wall that was built at a ninety-degree angle to a short building. Looking up, he saw greenery drooping towards the ground over the edge of the roof.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?” he asked.

Lin nodded.

“Here, I’ll help you up!”

She dug her sandals into the slots in the stone where the mortar had crumbled away and pulled herself onto the wall. Zuko took a running start, and leapt high enough to grab hold of the rim of the roof. He hoisted up the rest of his body, then turned around to wait for Lin. She stared up at him, her hands on her hips. Even though she was standing on the wall, the edge of the roof was still a foot and a half above her head.

“Well that was a very good show, Mr. Acrobat. Unfortunately, warrior strength is not a required skill for waitressing at the Su Oku Resort. Mind giving me a hand?”

Her mocking tone sent a kaleidoscope of butterflies coursing through his system, but he kept his hands as steady as he could as he knelt down and reached out a hand to her. She grabbed it, and with one solid tug, he lifted her up onto the roof. She gasped in surprise.

“Hey, you make it seem easy!” she giggled. “Hina’s a lot lighter than me and pulling her up here is HARD.”

Zuko blushed. He desperately pushed down the thought of how adorable she looked, her face glowing with mirth. 

“You asked for help, so I helped,” he replied curtly. “What was it you wanted to show me?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Come on.”

Lin hiked up the angled roof and disappeared in a tuft of foliage. He followed her to find that the flat part of the roof was covered with blossoming plants. There were trellises covered in twisting vines and rows of brightly-coloured flowers. Tall shrubs lined the perimeter, providing the pair with shade against the harsh, midday sun. Troughs of water and tiny pipes irrigated the dirt on which they stood. Inside the garden, the air was sweet with the smell of greenery and fresh earth.

“Isn’t it beautiful? Hina and I discovered this place a long time ago. You need two people to get up. Unless, of course, you happen to be a supernaturally athletic warrior prince. But you know. Generally speaking.”

“It is beautiful,” Zuko admitted. “Do you come here often?”

“Sometimes. We’re pretty busy with work, but it’s a place we can go when we feel down. I was planning to bring Hina up here after our shift to have a picnic. You can come if you like.”

“That’s ok.”

Zuko turned away from her and made a point of examining a small patch of purple flowers.

Lin was quiet for a moment. He waited nervously for her next move. 

“Hey, can you help me with something?” she said.

He straightened, and went to her. She was hunched over, staring at the ground underneath a blossoming bush. 

“See those little sprouts all around the bush?”

She pointed to a collection of horseshoe-shaped leaves poking up through the ground. 

“Yeah. What about them?”

“They spread very quickly, and they have a tendency to choke out flowers if they’re not dealt with. Could you use your firebending to get rid of them for me?”

He stared at her, genuinely wondering if she had a screw loose underneath her bleached mop. She met his gaze and cracked the contagious grin that seemed to perpetually haunt her face. Eventually, he replied. 

“Not unless you want to burn down the whole garden.”

Lin’s smile widened.

“I’m impressed. You didn’t seem to understand that a few minutes ago.”

Zuko didn’t understand what she meant, but he knew she was taunting him.

“I can’t believe you brought me up here just to make fun of me!” he snarled.

“I can’t believe you gave me such a sweet apology just to decide you were going to trash my restaurant,” Lin retorted, that irritating smile still plastered on her face.

“What are you talking about?!” he demanded.

“Those guys who were making rude comments about Hina and me are a thousand times worse than a couple of weeds. But confronting them about it would have only caused a lot of damage and probably gotten a lot of innocent people hurt, maybe even your uncle. You can’t burn down a garden just to get rid of the weeds. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Don’t tell me what does and doesn’t make sense! I’m a military leader - you’re just a common peasant. What do you know about when it makes sense to fight?”

He stared her down, daring her to provoke him. Too many people had tried to take control from him, and he needed to make it clear that he was a capable man, and his decisions were his own. If Lin was trying to undermine his pride, he had no reservations in pushing her away. He watched as sadness rose up in her face. She peered into his eyes, her phantom knife raking across scars on his soul. 

“Zuko… Do you really think that’s what I meant?”

The truth was, he had no idea what she meant. What he had heard was a village girl trying to tell him how to live his life.

“Well, you meant something,” he said, relaxing his stance just a touch.

She stepped toward him. 

“I believe you see the good in the world.”

She was too close to him again. He felt his muscles tighten in apprehension. But he wanted to hear what she had to say.

“And I think a part of you is still reaching for it. I think whoever hurt you made you so afraid that you feel like you can’t let anything in at all, good or bad.”

She placed her hand on his left cheek. He shuddered. Her eyes had turned the deep blue-green of the ocean. She was close enough that he could feel the heat of her body. He desperately wanted both to push her away and to draw her close at the same time. It terrified and thrilled him. He watched the words as they came out of her lips.

“But you don’t have to protect yourself from me.”

She leaned in and kissed him sweetly. He was utterly confused, but the electricity that hummed through his body prevented him from making any headway against it. She stepped back and removed her hand from his cheek, leaving his skin tingling where her fingertips had brushed it. 

“I should get back to work. Technically my shift isn’t over until 4:30. Promise me you won’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.”

All he could do was stare at her, paralyzed. She smiled a small, earnest smile at him, then turned, slid down the roof, and jumped onto the grass below. When he could no longer see her, he sat down on the damp earth and put his head in his hands. His thoughts and emotions were completely disoriented, and the more he tugged on the loose ends of the tangled knot in his mind, the more disorderly things became.

“As if I didn’t have enough to deal with,” he thought.

He stared along the path Lin took, even after she was long gone. He replayed her kiss over and over in his mind, trying to glean some understanding of what had happened, but all it did was give rise to an uncomfortable pressure in his lower regions. So many unknown and unbidden thoughts, desires, and fears battled each other inside of him. It made his head spin. He longed for some sense of stability, any form of comfort against the storm that was his existence. Begrudgingly, he admitted to himself that there was only one place he would find any semblance of what he was craving, but first, he needed to take some time to clear his mind. He stood, and began walking towards the high mountains that bordered the river.


	9. Blatancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask me why Iroh has his tsungi horn. It's a plot hole.

The sound of Iroh’s tsungi horn echoed across the serene spring landscape. The sun was just setting, and it gleamed on the body of his instrument, which wailed a sensitive, plaintive tune. He felt its resonance in his fingertips and in his soul. The whole earth breathed with his song, and his song was absorbed by the breath of the earth. He played with his eyes closed, to better partake in the cosmic energy that surrounded him as he offered up his music. He heard intent footsteps approaching. They stopped a short distance behind him. Without opening his eyes, he said,

“Good afternoon, Prince Zuko. How have you been enjoying this warm weather?”

“Can I ask you something?” Zuko rasped. 

Iroh turned around to face him, smiling warmly.

“Of course. What is it, nephew?”

Zuko straightened his back and dropped his chin, something he did when he felt uneasy. 

“Well… you were married, right? Do you think that…well... that love actually exists?”

He looked up into his eyes, a hint of genuine hope hidden behind his expression of embarrassment and angry pride. 

“I believe that love is all around us, and if you look, you will be able to find it anywhere.” 

Iroh stretched out his arms to demonstrate. An old tune rose to his mind.

“When love… passes by your window….” he warbled.

Zuko turned away and sulked against the trunk of a tree.

“I thought you’d say something like that.”

Iroh placed his horn on the ground beside him. 

“Zuko. What is on your mind?” he prodded.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” the tree grumbled back at him. 

He gazed at the angsty shadow lurking in the shade of the oak leaves. His heart was with his nephew, even in his sullenness. It had been a long time since he was a child, but he was well familiar with the feelings of insecurity and confusion that accompanied one’s ascension to adulthood. He had experienced it, and he had seen it in his own beloved son.

“Love can be a very difficult thing, especially when you are young,” he said gently to the tree, “but it can also be one of life’s most beautiful treasures, and it is capable of bringing great happiness.”

“All it’s ever brought me is pain and disgrace.”

Zuko’s voice cracked as he spoke. He glared at Iroh, revealing the wrinkled skin of his left cheek. Iroh sighed. 

“It is true, that it can be very painful for one’s offering of trust to be betrayed. And the greater the connection, the stronger you may find your pain to be. But how can you lose something which never belonged to you to begin with?”

There was a silence from the tree.

“What does that even mean?” Zuko huffed. 

“It means that if you do not open yourself to the possibility of suffering, then you will never truly experience all the good that life has to offer,” Iroh replied.

“That sounds like something Lin said,” Zuko mused. 

Iroh chuckled merrily.

“Oho, did she now? Excellent choice, nephew. Our good friend Lin is a lucky young lady indeed.”

“Uncle!!!” Zuko bellowed, stepping out from behind the tree. 

Iroh laughed even harder at his display of embarrassment. 

“Now, now, Zuko. There is nothing to be ashamed of. It is natural for young men of your age to begin to take interest in the fairer sex.”

“You’re making it worse!” Zuko barked, clutching his head.

The blush on his face was growing more palpable by the second. Iroh wiped the mirth from his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Ahhh, my apologies, Prince Zuko. Why don’t you join me for music night in the main hall? It would surely help you to relax.” 

“I don’t need to relax.”

Droplets of sweat gleamed on Zuko’s brow.

“If you say so,” Iroh replied. “I just thought it would be nice for you to spend some time with people your own age. From my understanding, it is habitual for the young people of the surrounding area to attend...”

Zuko rolled his eyes.

“...including many of the resort staff members. But I know music does not interest you.” Iroh rose and grabbed his tsungi horn. “Not to worry, I don’t mind attending by myself.” 

He turned and began to walk away. 

“Wait.”

Iroh glanced over his shoulder.

“I’ll come with you. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

Zuko sheepishly followed his uncle into the Su Oku Resort Main Hall. Heavy wooden doors swung into place behind him. The room was large and level. In the center, a cluster of musicians were chatting and tuning their instruments. Around them was a large ring of cushions, which were surrounded with a few rows of light, bamboo chairs. Some people had already claimed seats, both on the chairs and on the floor, with more tricking towards the musicians’ ring by the minute. An ample crowd had gathered in the hall, mainly around a countered window decorated with paper lanterns and banners that functioned as a bar. Iroh prodded him in the ribs. 

“Come, Zuko! We must find seats before the best ones are taken!”

Zuko watched him rush through the crowd towards the center ring, but he himself hung back. He noticed that the back row of chairs attracted mainly the elderly and the shy, while those who were more outgoing seated themselves attentively on the cushions closer to the musicians’ ring. Apart from a few wallflowers in the back, most of the young people Iroh had mentioned were mingling outside the performing circle, many of whom held drinks from the makeshift bar. 

A flirtatious giggle caught his attention. A few girls were gathered around a young man in a sleeveless shirt. Zuko recognized him as the man who had insulted Lin earlier that day. His blood boiled. For a moment, he fantasized about breaking a bottle of liquor over his head and sending a blast of fire his way. He might change his tune about burn scars after that. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then moved so that the offender was out of his sight. 

He passed through the crowd and found a place against the wall. He stood there, observing the crowd as they settled into a listening arrangement. It struck him how horrendously boring the evening was about to be. He didn’t dislike music, but he felt that there were hundreds of better uses of his time than sitting still for hours while a group of amateurs tried to deafen the audience with their dissonance. 

In truth, he knew why he had come, but he was not willing to admit it, even to himself. He looked across the people in the audience. Young people flirted or made jokes with their friends. Parents bounced babies on their knees and whispered to their older children. Elderly couples sat close together, holding hands. Even those who had come alone were united with the crowd through the energy of the music. The wailing of woodwinds formed the backdrop to a realization that entered his mind. He’d had a few friends in his childhood, before his banishment, but that was almost three years ago. Even then, he’d mostly kept to himself, preferring his training and studies over the silly games that the boys his age would play. The day his mother disappeared, he had lost the only person whom he had really loved. 

He closed his eyes. For a moment, he understood why Iroh loved music so much. He did not even have to know what he felt - the melody expressed it for him. 

When he opened his eyes, he saw an unmistakable tousle of bleached hair approaching him. Lin had changed out of her uniform and was wearing a green linen kimono that was embroidered with gold flowers. In her hand was a bottle of clear liquid. Her face was flushed, and her eyes twinkled with fun. 

“Hey! It’s His Royal Grumpiness! I wasn’t expecting to see you here. Guess I didn’t slap you hard enough.” She giggled and took a sip from her bottle.

Zuko stared at her for a moment, dumbstricken. His shock was mostly from her teasing tone, which he still hadn’t gotten used to, but it certainly didn’t help that, in the low light and her flattering dress, she looked unreasonably beautiful. He had not been prepared for that. He made a motion towards her drink.

“Where did you get that?”, he managed.

Lin smirked.

“Well it just so happens that I know some people at the bar.”

She dissolved into giggles. He pressed his lips together and looked away - her laugh was too adorable for him to witness head-on. 

“Want some?”

He looked back at Lin; her bottle was pointed towards his lips. He put a hand on her wrist and lowered the bottle.

“I’m not thirsty.”

Lin rolled her eyes.

“It’s alcohol, not water. I didn’t ask if you were thirsty. Come on, you need to loosen up.”

She pushed the bottle emphatically towards him. On a whim, he snatched the bottle from her and took a healthy swig. The liquor tasted absolutely horrible and burned his throat so badly that he immediately began coughing. Fortunately for him, the music at that moment was a triumphant, bellowing wave, which did a fair bit to cover his outburst. Lin giggled even harder.

“I guess you don’t go to a lot of parties.”

“No… I’ve been too busy trying to regain my honour,” he said as sullenly as he could between tear-inducing coughs.

Lin rolled her eyes.

“Oh, right. I forgot I’m in the presence of Zuko, pathetic prince of pity.”

“Excuse me?!” he snapped.

“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean,” Lin continued, unphased, “It’s like every time I talk to you, you’re the only one in the entire world that knows what suffering is.”

Zuko was shocked.

“Bu-”

“I know your life sucks,” Lin cut him off. “You think you’re the only one?”

She rolled up her sleeves and presented her forearms in a motion that one might mistake for an invitation to fight.

“My mom used to splash me with hot broth when she got mad. You think this was a one-time incident?” She shook her arms vehemently. “There’s still spices in there. I am going to make a very delicious corpse, let me tell you!”

Zuko couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. She was so serious - her shoulders were squared and her eyes glinted with fire, which only made her morbid statement even funnier. After only a few moments, she caught his expression, and the two began to giggle amicably. Zuko felt a delicious lightness rise up into his head. He wasn’t sure whether it was from the liquor or the laughter, but he found he was enjoying himself either way. Eventually they quieted, and he had a chance to reflect on what she had just said.

“Your mom used to splash you with broth?”

She nodded.

“And oil, and boiling water. It depended on what she was cooking that day. For a while I tried to run, but she was faster and stronger. I found out pretty quickly that having burns on your arms hurts less than having burns on your ass.”

The corner of her mouth twitched into a smile. Zuko took a deep breath.

“My father burned my face when I was thirteen in an Agni Kai,” he said without thinking. 

There was a sympathetic pause. He held his breath.

“That’s rough, buddy,” she eventually replied. 

The moan of horns filled another brief silence between them.

“Here’s the thing,” Lin said, decidedly. “I can tell you’re a fighter. And I don’t mean in the physical sense. I’m a fighter, too. That’s why we’re both here today. But there’s such a thing as being too… fighty.”

Zuko listened attentively, intoxicated with their closeness, her sympathy, and, of course, a splash of alcohol. 

“I mean I get it. People do you wrong and then you get all these emotions right here.” 

She thumped his chest gently with the palm of her hand, then left it there, and stepped a few inches closer to him. 

“And then you’ve gotta let them out, and it’s so easy to do that by hurting people. But you can’t do that. You just can’t. You have to figure out how to let all those feelings out in love instead…” 

She trailed off, and slid her hand down, letting her arm wrap casually around his waist. The lips that had entranced him with her wise and charming words were now gently parted, and he could not help but fixate on them. He began to lean in to her without realizing he was moving. He closed his eyes and felt the warmth of her lips meet his. He reveled in their luscious softness. If the musicians were still playing their music, he could not hear it. He placed his hands around her waist and drew her towards him. In reciprocation, she rested her left hand on his upper arm, her other hand still wrapped around him tenderly.

A hissing whisper from the direction of the bar caught his attention.

“Aiko!!! She’s doing it! She’s making out with the prince!”

Breaking the kiss, he opened his eyes and looked towards the noise. A few uniformed staff members were huddled together, watching him gleefully. A dizzying wave of embarrassment washed over him. He pulled away.

“Are you trying to humiliate me?!” he demanded of Lin.

She gazed up at him, bewildered.

“No, I’m trying to seduce you.”

His mouth opened in shock, and his head began to spin. Seeing no better alternative, he brushed past her and the gaggle of onlookers, and stormed towards the exit of the building. He did not look back to see her response. He needed some time to cool off, to make sense of what had just happened, so he headed for a mountain trail where he was sure he could be alone.


	10. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the one and only sex scene. I am a virgin. I did my best. For all the innocents and/or asexuals out there, they do bond during/after sex but you can skip this chapter and you won't lose much.
> 
> The seeds are silphium. Look it up.

Zuko burst through the door of the resort main hall. He had been gone for several hours, and the crowd had cleared in his absence, leaving only a few resort staff members, who were placidly tidying the venue. He didn’t see Lin among them, but he identified one short, dark-haired girl as her friend Hina. She was wrapped in a light shawl and looked as though she was about to leave. He stood in front of the door, blocking her exit.

“Where can I find Lin?” he demanded.

Hina’s mouth dropped, then she smiled and beckoned to him.

“This way.”

She led him to a smallish, squarish building tucked away in one of the less scenic corners of the resort property. She brought him inside. The main room was small and dimly lit, but tidy and pleasant.

“This is where we live,” she whispered. “Be quiet, ok? Everyone’s asleep.”

She slipped off her shoes and led him up a flight of wooden stairs. She pointed to a bamboo screen halfway down the hall.

Lin stood in front of her mirror, one candle lit on the dresser before her. Now that she was sober, she was beginning to question her decision to be so upfront with Zuko. To be fair, she hadn’t expected to see him - she hadn’t pegged him as a great appreciator of the arts. She scrunched up her hair in both hands. It was a bit dry - she would have to head to the spa for some pro-bono scalp resuscitation. She knew that, at the end of the day, it didn’t really matter if she had offended him, or driven him off, or whatever she had done. Like Larong had said, he was just a boy, even if he was the prince. Even if he was sensitive, and honest, and strong of character, and remarkably beautiful... 

The screen door slid open aggressively. Startled, she looked up. There in the doorway stood Zuko, a wild fire in his eyes. She stared at him, gauging his movements, like a cat who is unsure whether to pounce or flee. He strode towards her, and she braced herself. When he reached her, he slid one hand under her head and the other around her waist, pulling her - surprisingly tenderly - into a deep kiss. 

Her mouth opened to meet his. She clutched his head with her hands as he leaned in to her, hungry, desperate, but with irresistible sweetness in every gesture. She let him push her towards her unmade bed and lowered herself onto it. His body clung to hers, following her down. A puff of air escaped her lungs as she felt his weight sink down onto her. Her body pulsed with excitement. 

Zuko traced his hands across her figure, relishing the detail of every shape. Her body was the most beautiful landscape he had ever encountered, even after years of travel. His heart skipped when he heard a small moan escape her lips. She began to tug at the sash that tied his garment together. He smiled. He was more than happy to give her what she wanted.

Lin followed Zuko with her lips as long as she could before he broke the kiss. He sat up straight and shrugged off his robe, then cast it aside with a decisive motion, revealing ocean waves of toned muscle underneath. She slid her hands up his thighs, drinking in the play of the candlelight on his divine figure. As the fabric of his robe settled to the floor, he reached for the tie on her kimono, unwrapping it from her enthusiastically. She arched her back, presenting to him the taut curves of her figure. Gently, but with decisive firmness, he lifted her up so that she was pressed against him, and pulled the garment out from underneath her. She wrapped her arms around him, greedily tracing her fingers over the muscles on his back.

Zuko leaned down onto her, kissing her eagerly, enthralled in the way she rose up to meet him. His hands explored her naked body, fingertips gliding over gloriously delicate skin. He cupped her breasts, massaging them and stroking slow, indulgent circles around them. Lin let out a blissful, vocalized sigh. He maintained the motion with one hand, moving the other down her waist until he found the upper hem of her undergarments. He slipped his hand between the fabric and her deliciously soft skin, navigating downwards until he found the source of the heat that had been burning into his thighs. Lin thrust her hips forward at his touch, suppressing a moan of eagerness. He found the place where her folds separated and slipped one finger in, then another, and began to rub experimentally. Lin’s lips parted in pleasure, her chin stretching up towards the ceiling. Seizing his opportunity, he leaned down and planted a row of delicate kisses on her pale neck. 

Lin gasped. Her nails dug into Zuko’s flesh as her body reeled in ecstacy. Her eyelids fluttered with the surge of pleasure she felt from his soft lips on her neck. She burned with anticipation. Her hands found the waistband of his pants. She tucked her thumbs under it and tugged just hard enough to communicate her plea. Zuko removed his hands from her body and did away with his remaining garments, as well as what was left of hers. As he lowered himself back down onto her, she took hold of his shaft instinctively and guided it towards her; a demand, rather than a request. He took great care while inserting himself into her, as though she were something he could easily break. He began to thrust, unrhythmically, and maddeningly slowly. Doing the best she could with what she had, she angled her hips in order to better savour the sensation of his full length against her. He was giving her just enough to keep her on edge, but she needed more. When she could stand it no longer, she opened her eyes to see Zuko’s face clenched and distorted as though in agony, his arms twitching and trembling. Apparently he was suffering as much as she was. She suppressed a giggle.

“More, harder,” she directed.

Zuko obeyed enthusiastically. As he gained momentum, he found it easier to find his pace. He felt her inner walls tighten around him. He watched, fascinated, as her face contorted in pleasure. He saw and felt her gasp.

“Ohhh, Zuko! Yes!” 

Zuko felt a surge of euphoria that made him nearly lightheaded. She had taken care not to wake anyone in the building, but the rawness in her voice was palpable. 

“Do that again.” His voice was gravelly and weak. 

He saw the outline of a laugh dance around her mouth, but it was overtaken by an expression of intense delight.

“Oh, yes! Zuko, Zuko, please! Yes!” she moaned.

He pulsed with excitement at the sound of his name coming from her lips. His thighs burned, and Lin’s bed was complaining under the turbulence, but at the moment stopping, or even slowing down, was completely unthinkable. The only thing he could think about was Lin’s incredible and delicious softness. He pounded into her as hard as he could, and he felt her walls clamp around him. 

“Right there, oh, Zuko, don’t stop!”

Lin’s whispers were broken by heavy pants. She could feel the edges of an orgasm creeping up on her. She closed her eyes and dove deep into the sensation, adjusting her hips to heighten the experience. She pressed herself into Zuko’s body, and was met with the pressure of his pelvic bone against hers. She felt him twitch and throb inside her. A small groan escaped his lips, and she stifled a cry as the anticipated wave of pleasure swept over her. Midway through her orgasm, she felt Zuko release as well. He continued for as long as he was able, but he was quickly forced to withdraw himself. She felt him collapse onto the mattress beside her. Both of them were breathing heavily and trembling from their exertion. 

Lin stretched contentedly. She lay on her back, basking in tranquility. When she had cooled off a little, she pulled the covers up and over both of them. She rolled onto her side, cuddling into the warm comforter. Zuko lay with his eyes closed, his head rolled back to one side. In the dying candlelight, Lin read the shapes and shadows of his face. His forehead was smooth, his eyebrows were lifted, and his mouth was parted slightly. The muscles of his neck and shoulders were loose. The bliss in his expression was wholehearted and unashamed, which she found remarkably endearing. She had been very impressed with his performance, though not because of any skill or technique; he was clearly out-of-practice at best. He had charmed her with the genuine care he had poured into her through every touch, and her body had rewarded him with marvelous responsiveness. 

During their intercourse, the glimpse of integrity she had sensed in him over the past few days had blossomed into view. She felt grateful that he had decided to share that part of himself with her. She fully understood what it was to hide behind a false personality. In truth, in her attempt to find herself without her family, she herself had run so far from who she once was that sometimes she felt she had no personality at all, only pleasantries and war tactics. Even though she might not have a soul left worth saving, the languishing boy that lay so close to her most certainly did. 

She reached out and stroked his arm gently with one finger. His eyes fluttered open. He turned his head toward her, and when he saw her, a warm, sleepy, joyful smile rose to his face. She beamed back at him and moved her hand to his chest. Suddenly, his face collapsed into a look of shock. He rose up on one elbow and placed a hand below her stomach.

“You don’t think there’s a chance… ?”

“I can get some seeds from the rooftop garden that are very reliable for preventing pregnancy.” She yawned. “Why do you think I went up there in the first place?”

Zuko relaxed back down onto the mattress, though he had taken on a pensive look. She stroked his chest in soft circles. He made no response, but she was content just to appreciate his shape under her fingers. Feeling indulgent, she moved her hand upward, first stroking along his jawline, then gently cradling his cheek. He winced aggressively when she touched his scar. She immediately withdrew her hand. 

“Does it hurt?” she asked, anxiously.

There was a pause.

“No.”

Zuko rolled away from her onto his side. Without hesitating, Lin shuffled close to him and pressed her body against his, wrapping her arm tightly over his chest. 

“Maybe a little on the inside,” she murmured into him. 

He didn’t reply, but he didn’t pull away either. He had turned sullen again so quickly, driving the beautiful, noble man of which she had caught a mere glimpse back down into hiding. She wished she could do more for him. She wished there was something she could do that would allow him to be happy in his own skin, and that would allow her to experience more of the sensitive, caring soul to which she had taken such a liking. But she knew from experience that even when healing is possible, it takes a very long time. That was why she had no expectation of building a true relationship with him. She knew that she could not be the one to heal him. That was a journey he had to take on his own. It comforted her to know that he had such a loving uncle, who would undoubtedly assist him in any way he could. Perhaps, she thought, at another time, under different circumstances, they could have enjoyed a long and meaningful relationship - as lovers, or simply as friends. Since that ideal was not within her reach, she clung to him instead, giving him all that she could in the limited time that they shared.


	11. Introspection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back asexuals and innocents. This is a soft chapter

The first thing Zuko did upon waking up the next morning was reach across the bed. For what, he could not quite remember, but he was disappointed when his hands found only blankets. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. It was small, but its owners had managed to tuck two beds and a dresser into the space. From the pretty rug in the center of the floor and the personal belongings scattered on top of the dresser, he could safely assume that its occupants were female. As his mind shook off the confusion of sleep, he remembered that he was in Lin’s room, as well as the details of the night they had shared.

He was mildly hurt that she had disappeared during the night, though he was not quite sure why he felt that way. He was also at a loss as to where she could be, if she was not in her own home. He brushed aside his blankets to find that he was still naked. Feeling a tiny bit embarrassed, he searched the room for his clothes. He found them folded in a neat pile by the foot of the bed, with a note resting on top. He hastily threw them on and took a look at what it said. It was written in a hand that was messy, almost to the point of illegibility, but was, at the same time, aesthetically pleasing in all its loops and points. It read:

Zuko,

Thank you for last night. It was wonderful. I have a 6 am shift this morning, so I have to go. If you like, you can meet me at the 

“large tree” at sunset. I’ll be waiting for you.

By the way, if you see Hina, make sure to thank her. We both owe her, big time.

Lin

Underneath Lin’s signature was a lip print left in sticky gloss. He cast the note aside and sat back down on the bed. Did he want to meet her?

His first thought was yes, yes, absolutely. Internally, he reached out to her, just as he had physically reached for her upon waking. His second thought was to slap his first thought on the hand. “No, not a chance,” it scolded. He couldn’t let anything distract him from his goal. The longer he waited around the village, the more time the Avatar and his friends had to escape. Now that he had gotten what he wanted from Lin, he would go back to his uncle and they would leave before noon.

What he wanted… had he gotten what he wanted? It was certainly what he had wanted the previous evening. After he had left the music hall, he had spent what felt like an eternity wandering around a mountain trail in contemplation. He did not remember all of what he had pondered, but he remembered that by the end of his angry musings, he knew that he had to have Lin. But now that he had “had” her, so to speak, was that all? Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that some would say that was all he was supposed to want. That he should be grateful she hadn’t been beside him when he woke, so he didn’t have to explain to her why he would be moving on. He supposed that was somewhat true. He did need to leave, and he had no idea how he would address it with her.

He decided it would be for the best to start making arrangements to continue his search. He rose and walked purposefully to the door. He paused with his hand on the bamboo screen, then turned, hurriedly stuffed Lin’s note in his pocket, and exited the room. He found himself in a corridor full of sliding doors. Feeling awkward, he shuffled towards the staircase at the end of the hall. Upon descending, he found a group of young people chatting around a table in the main living space. When they saw him, they stopped what they were doing to gawk at him, jaws dropped. A few girls started giggling, and he felt his face flush with embarrassment. One of the boys called out in the direction of the kitchen.

“Shaz! You won’t believe it! She actually did it!”

Before Shaz could make an appearance, Zuko bolted for the door and slammed it behind him. He marched towards his villa in a huff. When he had collected himself somewhat, he began to make mental plans as to his next steps. They would need food and water, and something to carry it in. Preferably, they should have a map - he wondered if he could get one from Madam Hizone. Surely they had at least some small local maps for hiking and such. A boat would also be helpful. They could use the river to help them cover more ground, and even when they went on foot, they would likely need to ford water at some point. It would have to be a small boat though, since they would have to carry it when they weren’t using it...

He realized he wasn’t quite sure where he was going. It had been dark when Hina had led him to the building, and his thoughts had been elsewhere. He glanced around to get his bearings. His eyes lingered on the mesmerizing roll of the river. Behind him, the phantom of Lin’s presence manifested from his memories. His hair stood on end. He half expected to hear her ask him if he was, indeed, the prince, and whether or not he had enjoyed his dumplings. He saw the clear blue of her eyes, heard her singing to the morning sun, felt her light fingers on his arm and her warm thighs wrapped around his waist. He felt frustrated, and in a way, betrayed. He resented the influence she had gained on him in such a short time. It made him too vulnerable, and for what? She had said it herself; she was just trying to seduce him. And she had succeeded spectacularly.

A thought tugged at the corner of his irritation.

_“If that’s all she wanted, why did she say she wanted to meet?”_

He turned this over for a while without coming upon a solution. As pessimistic as he was, he simply could not explain how offering to see him again would fit into any plot to undermine him. It crossed his mind that it could be a trap - he was in Fire Nation territory. Perhaps she had been paid to turn him in to his father. But if that was the case, wouldn’t it have been much easier to kidnap him when he was lying naked and unconscious in her bed? It didn’t add up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the note she had left him. She wanted to meet him by the “large tree”... since it was in quotation marks, he doubted she meant a literal tree. Perhaps she meant the picnic tree she had told him about. That was another thing that didn’t make sense. Why would she tell him such intimate details about her family? For the most part, it was completely unprompted. He supposed she could have been trying to get information out of him, but somehow, he didn’t feel that was the case. A memory rang through his mind:

_“You don’t have to protect yourself from me.”_

Then she had kissed him. He closed his eyes and remembered it again, then again. He never wanted to forget it, regardless of how vulnerable it made him. Opening his eyes, he folded up the note and put it in his pocket. He knew what he wanted to do.


	12. Haven

Lin’s heart fluttered as she made her way to the shrine on the river’s peninsula. She hoped against hope that Zuko had decided to meet her there. It had been a risky decision to refer to one of their previous conversations in her instructions. Even if he had decided to meet her, he might be waiting by a literal tree, and if that was the case, she doubted she’d ever find him. As she neared the shrine, she had to shield her eyes from the bright, setting sun. She noticed a tall silhouette against the glow. Beaming, she sprinted towards it. When she approached, Zuko turned towards her, a pensive look in his eyes. She smiled at him.

“You came! I wasn’t sure if you were going to.” 

He sighed and looked away. She trotted up beside him and put her hands on her hips.

“What, you came all this way just to ignore me?” she teased.

He shook his head. He seemed troubled - even more so than usual.

“Hey, is everything ok?” she asked.

He responded without looking at her. 

“When I got to my room this morning, my sister was there. She told me… my father wants me to come home.”

“How do you feel about that?”

He was silent for a while. Lin scoured his face for clues. 

“I don’t know,” he eventually replied. “It’s been so long…” 

“Well, let’s figure it out,” she said. 

She sat down on the ground and patted the grass beside her. Zuko looked at her strangely, but eventually obliged.

“Do you want to go home?” she prodded.

“Yes, I do. I want that more than anything,” he replied without hesitation.

“So what’s the matter?”

Zuko pondered this for a moment. Lin bit her lip.

“I suppose it’s not always that easy-”

“I guess…” Zuko interrupted, “I just don’t believe it’s real. I’ve waited my whole life for him to finally accept me as his son.”

Lin nodded.

“I can see why you would have trouble believing in your father’s love for you.”

“You can?”

She smirked.

“It’s written all over your face.”

“Very funny,” he said, bitterly.

They sat in silence for a while. 

“I can only speak from my own experience,” Lin began, “but I think it can be very easy to let fear guide your life. What that fear is varies from person to person, but in my opinion, it never leads you down a good path.” 

“I’m not afraid,” he retorted.

“I didn’t say you were.”

Silence reigned again for a few minutes. Lin began to pick at the grass, unsuccessfully attempting to braid the dead strands together. A bird chirped somewhere above them.

“Tell me about your mother,” Zuko blurted.

His request took Lin by surprise. She had to take a few minutes to collect her thoughts before she replied.

“Well, she loved cute things. She would lose her mind whenever we saw a baby animal, but she loved baby humans even more. She even loved regular objects if they were smaller than they were supposed to be.”

She paused to think.

“She liked to try new things. She would bring home strange fruits and vegetables from the market for the fun of eating them for the first time. She was goofy. She liked to sing and make up little rhymes. Being a mom meant the world to her.”

“From what you told me last night, it doesn’t sound like she was very good at it,” Zuko interjected.

Lin sighed.

“Well.. she tried her best. I think she liked the idea of being a mom more than she liked me. Maybe not my brother. He was her favourite, though she always insisted otherwise. She would always take his side, even though he did everything he could to make my life miserable.”

She paused.

“What did he do?” Zuko prompted.

It took her a few moments to find the words to respond.

“Once he threatened me with a knife because I came home from work late and didn’t have time to make him his favourite meal.”

“My sister was like that too.”

Lin nodded sympathetically.

After a brief pause, Zuko questioned her again.

“Your mom couldn’t have made the meal for him?”

“I didn’t like her to cook, so when I got old enough, I started making food for the family.”

She slid her hands up her sleeves, running her hands gingerly along her forearms.

“Right,” Zuko said.

Another pause. 

“It doesn’t sound like she loved you very much.”

Lin shook her head. 

“No, she did. She loved me a lot. She was absolutely devastated that I wouldn’t leave the village.”

“Well that was pretty selfish of her,” he replied.

“Maybe. But I completely understand where she was coming from. She didn’t understand how much she had hurt me. In her mind, she was being the best parent she could be.”

“You really think she loved you?” he asked, quietly.

“I know she did. And I think that, wherever she is, she still does. I don’t think she would have been so angry with me if she didn’t care about me so much, if that makes any sense.”

Zuko stared at the shrine absent-mindedly. Lin rolled up her left sleeve and traced her fingers across her scar, the one keepsake she had of the family she had allowed to leave her behind. Eventually, Zuko broke the silence.

“I’m going to go with my sister. We’re leaving tomorrow,” he said.

Lin smiled.

“Good for you.”

He glanced at her suspiciously. 

“You’re not upset that I’m leaving?”

She laughed. 

“Not at all. This is a resort. People don’t actually live here.”

Zuko frowned and looked back across the river.

“Are you upset that you’re leaving?” she prodded.

“No,” he replied, unconvincingly. 

She took his hand and held it between hers. 

“Thank you for sharing your time with me.”

Zuko looked confused.

“What do you mean?”

She began to stroke his hand.

“I’m really happy you decided to let me get to know you, even though it was only for a couple of days.”

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, bitterly.

“Because I want to.”

“What do you want from me?”

She released his hand and sighed. She stared into his stormy, golden eyes, searching for a way to make him understand, but all she found was a wall of confusion and pain. 

“I want you to stop asking dumb questions. Now, lie down on your back.”

“What?”

“Just lie down. Trust me.”

He hesitated, but then lay down on his back as instructed. She lifted his head onto her lap and began to stroke his face, his hair, his head. His brow furrowed, but she smoothed it back down with her hands, and eventually, he relaxed into her touch. She began to sing an old folk song about parting and a brighter future. She poured herself into the song, letting every detail of the scene sink into her memory - the warmth of the setting sun, the heaviness of his head in her lap, the anxious resting expression on his face and the way it subtly twitched every so often. She closed her eyes.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

She stopped singing.

“Hm?”

He did not repeat himself. Smiling, she resumed her singing, satisfied that her offering had not been entirely in vain.


	13. Moving On

“Anyway, Yumi thinks it was pretty stupid.”

“Yeah, well, Yumi’s a bitch.”

Hina giggled, then grabbed another handful of fire flakes from the basket she and Lin had borrowed from the kitchen.

“Lin, she’s our friend,” she chided.

“Well she won’t be much longer if she keeps being rude to you,” Lin countered.

“You still shouldn’t call her bad names.”

Lin rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. You’re too nice. I wish I was as nice as you. I try to be nice, but then my thoughts come out of my mouth, and it doesn’t work out.”

Hina laughed heartily.

“It happens to the best of us.”

“Hey, speaking of nice,” Lin interjected, “I still haven’t properly thanked you for helping me out with Zuko the other night.”

Hina’s eyes lit up at the subject. “

Oh, no problem! Chiran told me he saw you guys making out, so when he barged in and asked for you, I had a feeling what was up.”

“Of course he told you. Chiran’s always in everyone else’s business.”

She poured a handful of fire flakes into her mouth and dusted her hands on her skirt.

“But you let us have the room too. What, did you sleep on the couch?”

“I slept in Kotoma’s room. Remember when Aiko was sick and I let her sleep in my bed so she didn’t have to listen to her throwing up all night?”

“I do remember that. See? You’re literally the nicest person ever.”

Hina giggled.

“If you say so. But you still haven’t told me how it was!”

Lin smirked.

“I really enjoyed it. He was good. Well…”

Hina laughed at her hesitation.

“No, no, well, he was good because he put a lot of effort into it, and he was really considerate. It was so funny; I thought he was teasing at first, but then I realized he was just being way, way too careful.”

“That’s actually kind of sweet,” Hina chimed in.

“It was! I thought it was kind of adorable. He wanted me to keep saying his name, too.”

Hina rolled her eyes.

“I hate it when guys are like that.”

“I didn’t mind it. I got the feeling it was more of a validation thing than a dominance thing, and I’m ok with that. I mean, I didn’t have to fake it, so I would say he deserves at least a little credit.”

“Lin, you never fake it. You just kick them out.”

“Well, maybe I would have made an exception for royalty!” she replied.

Both girls took a moment to munch on their snacks.

“What I really liked was how I got to know him a bit better in a way that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. Like whenever I looked at him, he had this really intense, almost scary expression. But I think he was just so focused on doing a good job. I think it means a lot to him - doing the right thing. It really shed some light on our other interactions”

“In what way?” Hina asked.

“Well, he could be really cold and standoffish sometimes, but I kind of suspected that he was just super closed-off inside, you know? I got to see that side of him that really cares about things. He’s not very… socially-gifted. And he walks around looking super angry all the time. But he’s not stuck-up or mean, just troubled.”

Hina scoffed.

“No wonder you went for him. He sounds like exactly your type.”

Lin laughed.

“He really is. Apparently his dad burned his face to teach him a lesson, and that’s how he got his scar. Isn’t that awful?”

“It is awful,” Hina acknowledged.

“Even my mom wasn’t that bad. She was just impulsive.”

She sighed.

“Honestly, I just wish I could have done more for him. He’s in such a dark place right now, and it really hurts me to see someone going through that.”

Hina chuckled.

“You’re so funny. You know you can’t fix every cute, angsty boy in the world, right?”

“I wasn’t trying to fix him!” Lin insisted. “I just want to help people heal. It’s how I cope. I feel like if I can’t change my past, maybe I can do things to help other people. It’s like a karmic balance or something. I want to put happiness back into the world to replace what I lost.”

Hina nodded. “I know. You’re such a kind person.”

“Hah… I don’t know about that…” Lin blushed.

“I mean it. And I’m sure you really made a difference for him,” Hina said.

“I hope so,” Lin replied. “Hey, now it’s your turn. We have to find you a conquest. What kind of guys do you like?”

Hina laughed in embarrassment. “Oh no, I don’t think so. I’m good.”

“C’mon, I bet I could get you someone important. I’m, like, the expert now. Maybe a politician’s son? A roguish travelling performer? Ooh, someone in the military! Nothing’s sexier than a man in uniform, right?”

“Nooooooooooo!!!” Hina screamed.

Soon both girls were blushing and giggling uncontrollably. They sat and talked together as dusk fell around them until there were no more fire flakes left in their basket and the insects of the night buzzed in a chorus that was almost as beautiful as the racket of an undying friendship.

* * *

Zuko led the way through the forest, his anger driving him on. He and Iroh had been about to board his sister’s ship, when they had discovered that she had tricked them. Instead of honoured guests, they were to return home as prisoners. His feet stomped noisily over crackling sticks and rustling grass. Behind him, Iroh gasped, struggling to keep up.

“Zuko! Wait!” he exclaimed.

“What is it?!” Zuko snapped.

Iroh put his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

“We’ve been travelling for hours. Don’t you think it’s time for a short rest?”

Zuko scowled.

“We don’t need a rest. We need to get to a village so we can get some supplies.”

Iroh was already drawing a kettle out of his bag. Zuko slapped his forehead in frustration.

“Have a seat, nephew. I’ll make us some tea.”

Zuko plopped down on a fallen log as Iroh headed to the river to collect some water. Once he had returned, Iroh took his time, making sure the tea was brewed to perfection. Zuko could hardly contain his impatience. Once the water had boiled, Iroh pulled two pewter cups out of his bag.

“ _Of course he brought cups…”_ Zuko thought.

He also withdrew two small boxes. He handed one to Zuko.

“What are these?” Zuko asked.

“Before I caught up with you, I stopped by the dining hall. Our good friend Lin made us a few meals to take with us on our journey,” Iroh replied, opening his package.

Zuko flushed at the mention of his “good friend.” He distracted himself by opening his box and examining its contents.

“Ugh!” Iroh exclaimed in exaggerated disgust. “Zuko, what’s in your box?”

“Some rice and steamed fish. Why? What’s in yours?”

“Rhino sausage stir fry.”

Iroh made a face.

“Uncle, you love komodo rhino sausage,” Zuko said, suspiciously.

Iroh shook his head emphatically.

“Not today. Here, give me yours.”

Zuko looked sideways at him, then hesitantly traded boxes.

“Ahh, much better!” Iroh exclaimed, and began to eat enthusiastically.

Zuko shook his head and opened the box his uncle had traded him. Stuck to the underside of the lid was a note. He peeled it off and read it. It was written in a familiar, flowing hand.

Like the changing tides

Blessings come to me, then pass

One of them was you

Zuko set his jaw, crumpled the note, and tossed it to the ground. Iroh was too busy eating to notice. When they had finished with their break, they packed up their things and continued on their way. This time, Zuko walked slower, so that Iroh was able to keep pace at his side. Though he gave it an earnest effort, eventually he could not contain his thoughts any longer.

“I trusted her,” he blurted. “She made me believe things were going to be ok. She made me think there were people out there who actually cared for me.”

“Who, Azula?” Iroh asked.

Zuko hesitated.

“Yes.”

Iroh nodded sagely. “That was indeed a very dishonorable betrayal of trust.” He chucked. “Though with Azula, one might say that we made quite a foolish mistake by trusting her in the first place.”

“I know,” Zuko said, curtly. “It’s a mistake I’ll never make again.


End file.
